Window frame



C. W. HURD WINDOW FRAME Oct. 14, 1941.

Filed Oct. 16, 1959 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 14, 1941 WINDOW FRAME Clifford W. Hurd, Dubuque, Iowa, assignor to Farley & Loetscher Manufacturing Company, Dubuque, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application October 16, 1939, Serial No. 299,583

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in window frames and more particularly to a window frame constructed as a complete unit and capable of being used singly or in multiple, depending on the number of window openings required.

Heretofore it has been the common practice to construct window frames for one, two, or three openings, thus necessitating the stocking of many different sizes, not to mention the added cost of shipping and handling the larger multiple opening frames. Hence, the object of the present invention is to provide a unitary window frame or unit capable of being used singly or to be joined together in multiple when frames with two or more windows are specified, the novel feature residing in the arrangement of parts which permits two or more units to be assembled and united without any cutting or trimming and yet affording a perfectly tight and weatherproof construction.

Further objects and advantages of the novel frame construction embodying the present invention will appear as the details are brought out in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a perspective view of a single frame showing its construction;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a corner section of a frame unit showing its installation as a single window;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the mullion section between two units joined together to form a multiple-opening window frame; and

Figure 4 is a view in cross section through the mullion as taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Window frames follow a more or less standard construction consisting of foundational frame members at the sides and top and bottom and usually identified as the jambs l, I, head 2, and sill 3.

Within the frame proper, provision is made for supporting the upper and a lower sliding sash 4 and 5, or swinging sash if the window is to be of the casement type, Around three sides of the frame proper, that is, the two sides and the top, and fastened fiatwise to the front edges of the jambs l, l and the head 2, are the so-called "blind-stops 6, 6, these members being fiat pieces of lumber arranged with their inner edges projecting a short distance inwardly beyond the jambs but projecting outwardly beyond the jambs a somewhat greater distance, although this latter dimension may vary according to the type of wall construction being used. To explain: These edges of the casing 1.

row, it means that the window frame is set into the window opening in the building wall with the stops overlying the sheathing, However, when wide stops are used, they are nailed directly to the studding and the sheathing brought up flush with the edges of the stops. But whether windows are provided with wide or narrow stops, it has heretofore been the practice to make them of one piece. 1

In any case, to complete the frame, a casing is applied-to its outer face, the same consisting of relatively narrow strips 1 nailed to the blindstops 6 and across the head 2, said casing with the sill 3 defining the outer edges of the exposed front portion of the frame. In other words, the casing 1 defines the surrounding edges of the siding, stucco, or brick, as the case may be.

Now, referring in greater detail to the arrangement of .the blind-stops 6, 6 along the sides of the frame, it will be observed that each is made'in two sections, that is, a'relatively narrow inner section 6 which is nailed fast to the front edge of each jamb I, and an outer and somewhat wider section 6 which has edge-to-edge tongue and groove connection with the inner fixed section 6*, and while these two sections are initially fastened firmly together as by nails, the outer section 6 can be removed if and when it is necessary to do so, as will presently be explained.

Thus, for the single window installation, as shown in Figure 2, the full width blind-stops 6i, 6 are retainedalong both sides with their outer edgesdoverlying and nailed to the studs 8 on each side of the window opening. The sheathing 9' is then brought up in abutting contact with the outer edges of the stops, and finally, the siding I0 is applied over the projecting portions of the stops and brought up flush against the outer If the sash to be hung in the frame are of the sliding type, ample space is provided between the jambs l, I and the studs 8 for the ropes and sash weights.

But now assume that the plans call for a double window, that is, two windows side by side with a mullion between-the mullion being that part of a frame which separates the window openings. In the ordinary two-opening window frame, the mullion would be constructed as an integral part of the frame, but with the present arrangement two of the single-opening frames are assembled and joined together to form the two or double-opening frame, this operation being performed on the job, that is to say, by the carpenter at the time the window frame is being blind-stops may be narrow or wide." If narinstalled.

Thus, referring to Figure 3, two identical frame units are placed side by side, it being first necessary to remove from one of the frames the outer section 6* of the blind-stop 6 along its innermost jamb in order that a flush joint can be made between the inner ends of the sills 3, 3 and the outer edges of the inner pair of vertical casing members 1, I. This means then that a single wide blind-stop section 6' extends edgewise between the two fixed narrow sections 6 along the adjacent sides of the two frames, and since the outer edges of the fixed narrow sections 6 are all tongued along their outer edges and the wider removable sections are grooved along both edges, the removal of one of the latter makes it possible to fit th three sections'together with tight weatherand wind-proof tongue and groove joints throughout.

To bring about this interfitting of the two frames together it follows that the width of the wider removable blind-stop sections 6 must bear a fixed relationship to the distance the ends of the sills project beyond the outer edges of the fixed blind-stop sections 6?, it being quite obvious from Figure 4 that the sections 6 shouldproperly be twice the extent of the overhang or projection of the sills, particularly if all cutting or trimming is to be avoided.

Thus with the frames fitted together as just described, they would be solidly and suitably fastened together as by nailing, finishin na ls being preferably used for this Work and precautime taken to conceal the nail heads. And finally, a thin'moulding strip or batten I! would be applied over the joint between the adjacent and nailed in place in the usual manner, as pre- 1 viously described in connection with the installation of a single frame. If desired, the mullion which is formed when the two frame units are joined together may be reinforced by an additional stud l2 erected Within the rectangular,

open face formed therein, and particularly When this space is not required for the accommodation of sash Weights.

Thus, it will be seen that the unitary window frame construction has a decided advantage over I the ordinary mill-work frame, which is made for one, two, or more window openings and has to be shipped and handled in these various sizes. However, with a single unit capable of being assembled into multiple open framesythe menu-.

facture can be standardized and the distribution thus greatly simplified. Naturally, the frames would be made in different sizes and perhaps in different grades, but for any one size or grade, it would be only necessary for the contractor to specify a given number of single frames or units, regardless of the window arrangement called for in the plans. Likewise, it would only be necessary for the jobber or dealer to carry in stock the different sizes of single frame units. And finally, the multiple frames made up from single units are quite as tight and weather-proof as any preefabricated frame, due largely to the sectional tongue and groove blind-stop construction.

Having therefore described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. A multiple-opening window frame comprising a plurality of single-opening window frames joined together edge-to-edge with a mullion therebetween, each of said single-opening frames comprising a sill and upright jambs spaced inwardly from the ends of the sill to provide an open space within the mullion when two of said frames are assembled with the ends of their sills abutting, narrow blind stops fastened to the front edges of said jambs, a separate spacing member fitting between the opposing outer edges of the blind stops of the assembled frames with tongue and groove joints, and a casing strip nailed to the front face of the mullion to cover the joints between the blind stops and said spacing memher- 2. A multiple-opening window frame comprising a plurality of single-opening window frames joine to ether odge-to edge with a mullion therebetween, each of said single-opening frames omp ising a sill and uprigh lambs pa d wardly from the ends of the sill to provide an Open space within the mullion when two of said frames are assembled with the ends of their sills abutting, narrow blind stops fastened to the front edges of. s la a separate pie fit in between the opposite outer edges of the blind stops to c ose th space ther tw n w t th edges of one having grooves and the edges of he o her hav n co pl mentary ton u s fi n into said grooves, and easin strips nailed to the outer faces of said blind stops with their outer d s projec ing yond the espon g edges of said blind stops and adapted to abut along their outer verti al edges intermedia e the j in between the blind stops and the piece therebetween.

CLIFFORD W. HURD. 

